


Blades and Books

by sassenach_on_the_rocks51



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Modern AU, Modern Assassins, Multi, Original Character(s), Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2019-10-20 20:41:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17629313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sassenach_on_the_rocks51/pseuds/sassenach_on_the_rocks51
Summary: Two siblings from Scotland, both alike in dignity...Okay okay, two scottish siblings have gone to London to not only further their education, but to seek the truth behind their parents deaths at the hands of the Templar Order. Along the way, there will be love, anger, and things that were thought to be buried will resurface.This will be a long series and the tags will be updated as we go along. Hope everyone enjoys!





	1. Prologue-London Calling

“Too feckin early for this shite.”

As she stared through blurry green eyes at her phone, Vanessa hoped as her sight cleared that she was mistaken and that perhaps she could roll back over and get a bit more sleep.

She was wrong. It was 5 am. Time to rise.

Groaning at the early hour and kicking herself for not going to bed at a reasonable hour, Vanessa pushed herself up off the pillow and off the small black futon that served as her bed. Standing up, she rubbed her back and made her way to the loo, hoping that it wasn’t occupied.

Seeing that it wasn’t she walked in. Tending to her business, Vanessa looked into the mirror, her mid back reddish brown hair resembled more of a lion’s mane than anything. Planning to hit the gym first thing, Vanessa pulled it back into a quick, simple braid. She would do something more elaborate later.

Back in her room, a small space, somewhat spartan, but not completely without decoration, Vanessa dressed in simple gym clothes, black tights, black trainers and a green racerback tank. Grabbing her back, packed for the day the night before and a grey hoodie, Vanessa walked towards the kitchen to make a quick bite.

No sooner had she walked in there was she greeted with the sight of someone else there. Dressed in a dark grey shirt, blue jeans and riding boots, stood a tall, black haired young man. A young man busy packing something. From the smell, Vanessa guessed that he had made coffee and sure enough, she spotted her tartan thermos near him.

“Morning Brother.” Vanessa said smiling walking over to him. “I didn’t hear ye.”

“Woke up too early for my liking, so I thought I’d make us something to take.” He said, holding up what looked to be a wrap.

“Still making breakfast for me on the first day of class are ye?”

“Old habits die hard lass.” He replied sheepishly, shrugging as he finished packing his own breakfast and put the rest away Keeping his eyes down he said wistfully “Still canna believe I’m doing this.”

“Ye are and ye should. Ye have put this off for too long Dom. Its time ye did things for yerself.” Vanessa said, reaching out to rub his arm in hopes that it would reassure him. Dom didn’t look convinced, his dark green eyes remained downward.

“Aye. Still wonder if I will be the oldest one in the class.”

“Im sure people far older than ye have gone to Uni.” Vanessa teased as she reached into the fridge for her water bottle.

“I’m not that old.” Dom replied, mock offended as he zipped his bag closed and slid it onto his shoulder. Vanessa grabbed her own as well as her breakfast and thermos and the two siblings headed toward the door, with Dom grabbing his helmet and jacket.

“Are ye sure you don’t wanna ride?” Dom offered.

“Aye. Besides, Ive only be taking the tube everywhere since we moved here. Dinna pay all those fees for nothing.” Vanessa shrugged as she opened the door.

As Dom followed her to the lift, he kept trying to reassure himself that he was not being selfish for doing this. After so many years of putting his own dreams aside, now that the chance to finally pursue one of them was here, he still found himself debating it. Too many false starts had worn away at him. Too many things had fallen apart before.

But this time, more was at stake.

In the garage, Dom gave Vanessa quick hug and walked over to his motorcycle, a sleek, black Triumph that was his pride and joy. Setting his bag down so that he might gear up, he looked to see Vanessa crossing the way over to the tube station, a bit of worry in his heart. Even though he knew his baby sister could more than take care of herself, it never stopped him from worrying about her.

Finally ready, Dom mounted the bike and kicked it to life. The roar of the engine thrilled him as it always did and taking a deep breath, he turned and headed toward campus, wondering what the day would bring.


	2. Part 1-Friends of Mine

Arriving on the campus proper, Dom parked his bike, took his helmet off and scanned the campus. Already dozens of students were milling about, making their way to the first lecture of the day. With his helmet in hand, Dom took a deep breath and started to make his way to the lecture hall, still feeling a bit out of place.

Though he was only a few years older than many of the students there, he still couldn’t help but feel a bit ancient and as he spotted the hall where the first lecture would be, English and Modern Literature, he thought “Please let the Professor be older than me.”

Across campus at the student gym, Vanessa was finishing her workout. Grateful that being a Uni student came with gym privileges, she was glad to finally be able to afford going to one again. Far nicer than the gym she used back in Glasgow, she was eager to try every station.

Reminding herself that she would have plenty of time to do so through the term, she decided to work with one of the speed bags hanging in a corner.

Once she got into a good rhythm, everything else around her vanished as she imagined the bag being a tough opponent. She said little as she worked, only grunts and yells as she took out all her frustrations out on the bag.

While Vanessa was focus on the bag, another student watched her with great interest. Dark haired, a bit of a 5’o clock shadow and two scars, one on his eye brow, one on his jaw had been busy doing free weights with the others when he noticed the red headed beauty by the bag.

Watching her lithe form land punches and kicks that he knew would take out any opponent, the young man found himself rather impressed and slightly aroused. But the longer he watched her, the more her features seemed familiar to him and he found himself racking his brain as to who she might be.

“Found your next target?” One of the others, a short, thin, blond man named Tom asked as he finished his set and put the weights back.

“Where do I know her from?” He asked, louder than he intended.

As Tom took a near bye towel and wiped his hands, he looked to his friend, and said “Probably from the 357 girls whose numbers you got at the club and forgot about.”

“I know her, I know I do. But from where?” He said firmly, his mind still racing, trying to find the answer.

Tom rolled his eyes. “Try looking through the 3,245 girls on your Instagram.”

“How will that help?”

“It’s a start.” Tom shrugged as he started to gather up his gear. The other started to gather up his as well, thinking he might as well call it good since he was beyond distracted. Thinking he could go up and speak with her, he turned to where the bag was and saw that the lovely red head was nowhere in sight.

“Fuck.”

After showering, changing and fixing her hair. Vanessa saw she had an hour to get to her first lecture. With the hall not being too far, Vanessa decided to take her time getting there. Along the way, eating her breakfast with one hand and sipping her coffee, Vanessa looked out among all her classmates and wondered if she would run into anyone she knew.

Though not many students from Scotland opted for Uni in London, perhaps there was a chance she would run into a familiar face. Having not had a chance to socialize much since her and Dom had moved to London months before, Vanessa was hoping for a bit of normalcy for once in her life.

After finishing her wrap, she pulled out her mums old necklace from under her shirt. She looked at it as she had many times before when nervous. It was a silver medallion, circular with a strange symbol on the front. Shaped almost like the letter “A”, it bore nothing in the middle, but curved in an odd way at the bottom.

Looking at the back, Vanessa read and recited the phrase softly, as she always did when she needed strength.

“Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted.”

Kissing it for luck, Vanessa went inside the hall and up the stairs, hoping the first lecture would be fun and that Dom was getting on alright.

Having arrived first, Dom had taken a seat towards the front and opened his laptop. Checking his email and his schedule again, Dom was eager to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything and as far as he could tell, he had not. Dom kept his focus on his laptop as other students soon started to file in and take seats.

Most took no notice of him, though a few did and smiled. They could tell he was a bit older than them and at least one or two wondered if he was the instructor. All who saw him agreed he was quite handsome.

In the back of the lecture hall, two people, one male, one female took their seats. The female, dressed in white and black blouse with black slacks, heels, with her hair up in a double dutch braid/ updo opened her laptop and started to set up taking notes.

The male, dressed in tight dark pants, grey shirt, black and white shoes, and a green jacket simply dropped his bag, sat down and continued going through his social media on his phone. Though he found several other redheads, none of them matched up to the gorgeous woman he saw at the gym.

“Who is she?” He kept repeating over and over.

“You’re still looking? What’s so important about her?” She asked.

“I have to know who she is.” He spoke, his voice betraying a hint of anxiousness as he neared the end.

“She’s probably one of the 535 girls you hit on this last summer.” The female noted, a bit irritated.

Looking up from his phone he snapped “Why does everyone think I’m some sort of man-whore?”

“Oh, I don’t know. It could be because you have spent more time trying to bed every model and or socialite in London since we moved here than you have on anything else. Including your training and it shows.” She snarked.

“I can do both fine dear Sister.” He replied, his voice thinning, irritated that she would bring it up again.

“The Council would disagree.”

As the clock struck 9:00, an older gentleman, with salt and pepper hair, dressed in a grey suit walked in, carrying a laptop bag and the look of someone who was already wishing the day was over.

“Good Morning Class. I am Professor Daniel Pierce. You should be in English and Modern Languages. If not, I suggest you check your schedules.” He replied in a bored voice as he sat his bag down on the front desk.

“Im just going to call roll, go over the syllabus and be on my way.”

The professor quickly went through the names of all 30 students, many of the respond in the same bored tone.

“Frye, Evelyn.”

“Here.” Evie replied, in a brighter voice than most of the others.

‘Frye, Jacob”

Jacob, still going through his phone, barely bothered to raise his hand. Evie shot him an annoyed look, but she knew he didn’t care.

Hearing those two names, Dom’s face went pale. He hadn’t heard those names in nearly a decade, and he hadn’t seen the owners of those names for that same length of time. Even now he still recalled the last time he saw the Frye twins, it was just at the same time as…. would they even remember..

“MacQueen, Dominic”

The voice of the professor snapped him back to reality.

“Aye.” Dom replied in a nervous voice.

In the back of the lecture hall, both Jacob and Evie sat in shock. “He was here?!” The twins whispered. Both quickly scanned the room for the old friend they knew as Dom. Evie, knowing that Dom was older than the others, looked to see who might fit and spotted someone at the front of the room. Spotting the Scottish flag on a backpack near him, Evie knew she found him.

It took everything Jacob had not to stand up and run up to their old friend. Not having heard from him in years, the Frye’s wondered what had become of Dom and his sister Vanessa. All four of them had been very close when they were kids and when a tragedy had taken the MacQueen siblings’ parents, all of them had lost touch.

Evie and Jacob had long since thought and accepted that they might never see Dom and Vanessa again and now that Dom was here…

After going over the syllabus quickly, the professor dismissed the class. No sooner had he said the words, then Jacob and Evie bolted from their seats. Dom had barely stood up and grabbed his bag when he felt himself nearly tackled. To his shock, two people were hugging him tightly, one male, one female, both with dark brown hair, both grinning like mad.

“Guess you two hadn’t forgotten after all.”


	3. Part 2-Is there something I should know?

For a moment, Dom remained frozen in place, trying to guess which one of the Frye’s were squeezing him tighter. He had perhaps expected a quick hello, not a bone crushing hug from both. He was so used to others in the past either just giving him a glance or pretending they didn’t know him that to feel them hugging him, he didn’t know how to react.

“Aight ye two. Ye can let go now.” He replied, gasping a bit as they finally relented. Looking over them both, he was shocked to see how much they had grown. He remembered Jacob being a scrawny little kid no bigger than Vanessa and Evie…he didn’t recall her being as beautiful as she was now.

“It seems ye two have grown up.” Dom noted. “How’s your da?”

“Still with us thankfully.” Evie replied.

“I had heard he had that heart attack. Not surprised he pulled through.” Dom said, knowing how much of a stubborn one Ethan Frye was.

“How long have you been in London?” Jacob eagerly asked, quickly forgetting about everything else.

“A few months. Nessa and I have a flat….”

At the mention of that name, Jacob’s face lit up brighter than the day he got his first car. The fact that Dom alone was here was exciting enough but Vanessa as well?!

“Vanessa’s here too?!” He all but shouted, already making plans to find her and take her out for drinks to catch up.

“Aye.” Dom replied looking at his watch. “She’s supposed te meet me for lunch later. At the Student Caf.”

Upon hearing that news, the color drained from Evie’s face. While she liked Vanessa personally, all she could think of was all the carnage her and Jacob used to cause when they were younger. The town of Crawley had barely survived them and now that they were together in London…they might prove to be more of a problem than the Templars.

“God help us all.”

At 11 am, Vanessa all but dashed out of the classroom. Unlike Dom’s first class, the Professor, new minted, decided there was no time like the present to get started, much to the consternation of the classroom. As Vanessa walked out, glancing briefly at him, she noted an item on him, a tie pin in the shape of a red cross, which sent a chill down her spine.

Vanessa knew that symbol from her parent’s papers. It was the symbol of the Templar Order. The papers didn’t reveal much about the orders history, only that they were a large group of people that her parents had been working against up until their deaths. Vanessa tried to assure herself that surely every single member was not as bad as her parents Brian and Anna made them out to be, but Vanessa decided to watch herself just the same.

As Vanessa took out her phone to check her messages, she saw there was one from Dom. Opening it up, at first Vanessa didn’t believe what she was seeing. It was simple, but enough to stop her in her tracks.

“Evie and Jacob are here.”

She didn’t have to ask which Evie and Jacob. The Frye twins, their best friends from back in Crawley. Though they had only lived in Crawley a few years, Vanessa remembered those years as the happiest of her childhood. Those few years were also the last few years that her parents were alive.

So much had changed since then. Like Dom, Vanessa had wondered what became of the Fryes and at times, considered looking for them online. But after years of turmoil and emotional disappointment and no word from them, Vanessa wondered if it was better to leave it all in the past. But the problem was, the past was back. And there was no avoiding it.

Waiting at the Cafeteria with Evie and Jacob for Vanessa, Dom sat and ate his lunch mostly in silence while the Fryes, mostly Jacob spoke about what all had happened since they last parted, all the while keeping an eye out for Vanessa.

Though Dom replied and smiled, Evie carefully noted Dom’s reactions. His smile never seemed to reach his eyes. His responses were always short ones, as if he didn’t wish to talk much at all, a far cry from the bright, smiling, quick witted Dom that she remembered years ago.

All she could think was “What happened? What made the light fade from his eyes?”

After grabbing her lunch of a chicken salad, Vanessa scanned the room for signs of Dom, Evie and Jacob. Quickly she spotted Dom and two others, sitting in a corner booth. Guessing that it was Evie and Jacob she made her way through the crowd. Before she reached the table, Dom looked aside and spotted her. Vanessa brought a finger to her lips and smirked. Dom got the hint and readied himself for Jacob’s reaction.

Jacob was right in the middle of a story about a recent club opening when suddenly everything went dark.

“Guess who?” Purred a sultry voice. A chill went down his spine. He knew of only one girl who had the habit of sneaking up behind him like that, only one who could get away with it.

Jacob leaned his head back. His eyes quickly fell on a very familiar face. He went pale as he quickly realized who the girl in the gym earlier was.

“Vanessa?!”

“The one and only” She chirped.

Jacob quickly stood up and wrapped her in a big hug, big enough to pick her up off the floor. To her surprise he wasn’t the scrawny kid that she could pick up with ease anymore. He was as tall as her, a bit more on the buff side and more than a little cute now.

“Its been too long.” Jacob murmured, not wanting to let go.

“Aye. Ye can put me down now.” Vanessa giggled.

No sooner had Jacob done so than Evie stood up to greet her. Evie also wrapped her in a big hug and Vanessa noted how much prettier Evie was than her.

“Aye, ye both look wonderful!” Vanessa said as she took a seat next to Jacob, who quickly moved himself closer and wrapped an arm around her, an action that didn’t go unnoticed by those around them.

“So, what all have I missed?”

The group spent the next hour visiting, with Jacob and Vanessa doing most of the talking and mostly with each other. Dom sat back quietly while he observed his baby sister with her best friend from childhood and noted that he hadn’t seen her light up that much since the day he was granted guardianship of her.

“Did we do the right thing?” Evie asked him quietly.

Shaken from his reverie Dom asked “Eh?”

“Don’t tell me you have forgotten all the trouble they used to cause?” Evie teased.

“They weren’t that bad.”

Evie crossed her arms. “We are talking about the same two people right? The same ones who tried to build a trebuchet for a science project? The same ones who knocked each other out cold during a lightsaber fight at the cinema?”

“Oh…” Dom noted wryly as he recalled those incidents. “It’s a bit too late though. Nothing will keep them apart now.”

A buzzing sound soon got Evie’s attention. Pulling out her phone, her eyes went wide with shock.

“Shit.”

“What?” Dom, Vanessa, and Jacob asked.

“Ive 5 minutes to get to my next lecture.” Evie said as she scrambled to grab her things. The others check their phones and saw that they had to get going as well.

“What your next lecture?” Jacob asked Vanessa.

“History. With Professor Thorne.”

“Damn. I don’t have that one till tomorrow. I should try to switch. “Jacob said. “What about after that?”

“After that, I have to head into work at 5. Got an evening shift at The Maid at Sea pub”

“Want a ride later?”

“That would be great.”

After a quick exchange of numbers, Vanessa headed off to her next lecture. Arriving there a few minutes early along with some other students, Vanessa took a seat in the front row and opened her laptop again. As soon as it loaded, Vanessa looked at her backdrop and decided to change it. With a few quick clicks, her backdrop went from a modeling shot of Marilyn Monroe to a screencap from the film “Some like it Hot.”

No sooner had she changed it she heard a voice speaking in a French accent “One of her best works.”

Vanessa turned as saw someone take a seat next to her. A handsome young gentleman, with medium length dark brown hair styled to the left and with a thin red scar across his face.

“Ye have seen it?” Vanessa asked, surprised.

“Oui, and almost all of her works. She’s a one of my two favorites from that era. “

Her interest greatly piqued she asked, “Who else?”

“Rita Hayworth. Ive a bit of a thing for redheads.” He smiled.

“You know she was a natural brunette right?”

“And that she became a redhead through having her hair dyed and having her hairline changed. Along with a few other things.” He said. “By the way, I’m Arno. Arno Dorian.”

“Vanessa MacQueen” She replied offering her hand. As she shook his hand, Vanessa noted the watch on his wrist, a watch that had the same symbol as her mum’s necklace.

Before she could question him, the door to the classroom opened. Arno glanced to see who it was, and his eyes widened, and his muscles tensed.

“Is that Professor Thorne?” Vanessa asked as she turned to look.

“Unless Professor Thorne is now brunette and sporting a mustache, no.”

“Then who is it?”

Before Arno could answer, the Professor, who was brunette with a thick mustache, wearing a black suit with a purple tie, a suit that was expertly cut to his frame said. He radiated an air of someone who had power and knew it and had no fear of using it.

“Professor Thorne will be indisposed for the next few weeks so I shall be filling in for this class.” He spoke in a voice that was deep and to Vanessa’s surprise, seductive.

“That…is Professor Crawford Starrick.” Arno said, his voice hardening a bit.

“Is he trouble?” Vanessa whispered.

“Oh yes. He is trouble.”


	4. Keep Feeling Fascination

As Professor Starrick took roll and began the first lesson, Vanessa observed the other students carefully. While some simply sat there hoping this would be a quick lecture, she noted that curiously, several students were listening with rapt attention.

Looking over to Arno, she noted while he paid attention as well, she noticed his jaw clench, as if he was doing everything he could to keep his temper in check.

“Arno said he is trouble. Why?”

Observing the professor, it was clear that he was a man used to being listened to. His tone, precise, his words measured and his gaze was one of a man who paid careful attention to everything around him. The slightest bit of movement, his eyes followed. Vanessa couldnt help but think him handsome.

Vanessa took stock of his suit. It was neat, obviously expensive. His watch, silver with a dark center Vanessa could tell was expensive as well, she had read enough fashion magazines to tell that probably cost more than her tuition.

Going back to his tie, Vanessa momentarily wondered why he would choose the color purple. Though it contrasted well with the rest of his suit, it wasn’t a color she was used to men wearing. In the middle of it, she saw was looked to be a bit of red.

“Did he spill something?”

Leaning forward to try and see it better, Vanessa caught a glimpse of silver along with the red and it instantly made sense. It was a tie pin. A tie pin that looked just like the one she saw earlier.

“He’s a member as well. Does that mean there are more in here?”

After the lecture finally ended, Vanessa, Arno and the others gathered their belongings. Slipping her bag on, Vanessa saw that the same handful of students that had paid close attention during the lecture were all now crowded around Professor Starrick. As she and the others filed past, Vanessa could overhear bits of the conversation and it sounded as if Professor Starrick was giving the students orders.

“He must be rather high ranking.”

Once outside the lecture hall, Arno seemed to relax a bit. Eager to ask him more questions Vanessa fell into step with him.

“So, Monsieur Dorian, I take it you know Professor Starrick.” Vanessa asked.

“Yes. I met him years ago in Paris, at a party my guardian was hosting.”

“Was he like that back then?”

“He’s worse now.” Arno noted wryly. “The rest of his family isn’t much better.’

Remembering the symbol on Arno’s watch, the same as on her mother’s necklace, Vanessa wondered just how much more Arno might know, not just about the Templar Order but the Brotherhood as well. Over the years, Vanessa and Dom had combed through what they could to find out more but there had been little available.

Vanessa knew there was a chance that Arno didn’t know much, but it was worth it to ask.

“You mentioned he is trouble. Vanessa inquired. “Is it because he is a member of the Templars?”

At that word, Arno stopped in his tracks. Discussing the Templar Order openly wasn’t something that was done, unless it was between members of the Brotherhood. Glancing at Vanessa, his eyes fell upon her necklace, and he quickly took note of the Brotherhood insignia.

“Is she a member? If she is, how does she not know about Starrick?”

“Arno?” Came the sound of a sultry voice. The tension broken, Arno and Vanessa turned to see who was calling him. Vanessa’s jaw nearly dropped at the sight of a voluptuous red head walking towards them, smiling and garbed in what was clearly designer clothing. Vanessa didn’t know who or what she envied more, the lovely lasses figure, her wardrobe or both.

“She’s even more beautiful than Evie! Are all the lasses her this lovely?” Vanessa marveled to herself. “I don’t stand a chance.”

“Hello Cherie” Arno smiled as he wrapped his arm around her. “This is Vanessa MacQueen.”

“MacQueen? Like the designer?” Elise asked, genuinely curious.

“I wish. But no. Different spelling” Vanessa smiled.

“A shame.”

Deciding that it would be best to save the questions for later,Vanessa smiled and said, “I’ll see you at the next lecture.” As she walked off, Arno made a note to check the archives later.

“MacQueen. Where have I heard that name before?”

Later on that day, after exploring more of the campus, Vanessa walked outside the library to wait for Jacob. No sooner had she stepped out than a green Aston Martin pulled up to her. Vanessa stood in shock as the window rolled down and revealed Jacob to be the driver.

“Need a ride luv?” Jacob said, flashing that devil may care grin of his. Carefully getting in, Vanessa could only stare in shock and wonder how Jacob had a car such as this one. She had barely buckled her seat before Jacob took off like a shot, making Vanessa hold on for dear life and making her pray that Jacob would her get her to the pub in one piece


End file.
